Edamame Hummus Crostini

I know it has been some time since my last post. I recently was hired by a weight management company to work as a weight loss coach. In that I had to travel for training and work with others to get the center up and running as well as assist with business development. 

On top of my personal training work, recruiting, my personal life had come to a standstill.  I have only been cooking on the few days I have had off, IF I had the energy.

Excited to have a 2 day weekend, my first order was to get my home in order and to make some room in my freezer. I also wanted to eat as my diet has been less than interesting lately. Most of the time my lunch has been a small can of tuna and some crackers eaten in my car while making recruiting calls.

I had a bag of edamame in the freezer, so I decided to make some edamame hummus. Having perused the internet for recipes, I managed to combine them into a recipe that turned out pretty darn tasty.  Admittedly, I was surprised. I wasn’t really sure edamame and hummus were a good match. It is!

I had planned on eating the hummus with some vegies and some Naan bread. Once made, I used the slices of ciabatta bread I had in the fridge, instead and some avocado slices to make edamame crostini. I didn’t have it for lunch. I also didn’t have if for a snack or for dinner. I had it for breakfast! What a great, healthy way to start the day.

With St. Patrick ’s Day coming up, you might want to save the recipe and have it with some green tea (or green beer I suppose) to celebrate. Of course, it is really too good to wait that long for.  Maybe that will be your second batch.

I hope you will try this. Enjoy.

Edamame Hummus

Yield: 1 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1 garlic clove, peeled

Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon

1/8 cup tahini (stir well before measuring) More if needed.

1 tbsp extra virgin cold pressed Greek olive oil

2-4 tbsp water,as needed

1/4 to 1/2 pink sea salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp each ground cumin and smoked paprika

Dash cayenne pepper

Olive oil for drizzle

For crostini:

Ciabatta bread slices

Avocado slices

Smoked salt, optional

1. Rinse the edamame and place in a microwave safe bowl with about 1/8 cup of water. Cover with a paper towel. Microwave 4-6 minutes, until just cooked.

2. With the motor running on a food processor, drop in 1 garlic clove to mince. Scrape down bowl.

3. Next, add edamame to the processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.

4. Add in the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil  and process again until smooth. Add water to get it to your preferred consistency (soft but not runny) Add the salt, pepper, cumin and smoked paprika. Pulse to combine.

5. Remove hummus to a lidded bowl. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Grits, not just for southerners anymore.

I grew up in the South and being a Southern girl (y’all), I love grits.  Nutritionally, grits are not a power house, but most grits you buy today have been fortified to increase the B Vitamins and Iron. They are a natural source of selenium. One cup of yellow grits has about 150 calories and 3-4 grams of protein.

Typically if you order grits in a restaurant they are made in the traditional way, with water.I don’t love grits with water. First, I like to have some protein at breakfast. Second, grits made with water are just….flavorless. I do love grits made with milk. The milk adds a creaminess and mouth appeal and protein too.

One thing I learned from my mother was to treat the grits like risotto, adding  the milk in stages. It makes for a wonderful creamy texture.

Southern chefs favor the organically grown, stone ground heirloom grits from Anson Mills in Columbia, SC.  I have not tried them as yet, but I suspect they are the “premium” grits to buy and eat. Emeril,  Thomas Keller and Tom Colicchio are all fans.

The grits from Anson Mills http://www.ansonmills.com/products/8 must be soaked overnight and cooked for up to 90 minutes. I would love to try Anson Mills grits. I can almost taste the difference in my imagination.

Sadly, I have given in to poor old instant grits due to time constraints. I also may shortcut the stove top cooking by using the microwave.  In that, I feel I really need to trump up the flavor to make them palatable.

Milk is always the base I use for my grits but I branch out from there as my moods change.  Shrimp and Grits to me are more of a dinnertime food (breakfast for dinner) so I don’t make them in the morning.

These are some of the ways I have varied my morning grits. When cooking grits, I add:

Shredded cheddar cheese, roasted chopped green chiles and chopped tomato for New Mexican Style

Pieces of goat cheese and Herbs de Provence for French style grits

Feta cheese and sometimes chopped Kalamata olives for Greek grits

Italian is Parmesan and fresh chopped basil

This week I went to a Parmesan Cutting event at Scardello’s Cheese shop http://scardellocheese.com/.  I brought home a round of Cypress Grove Purple Haze Goat Cheese   http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/our-cheese/fresh-chevre/purple-haze.html#.U9xiY-OJGRM  It is goat cheese with fennel pollen and lavender. I added some to my morning grits. Deeeelicious!

Other ideas I have thought of or seen online but have not tried are:

Mascarpone and grits

Black bean and cheddar cheese grits topped with avocado chunks

Goat cheese and garlic grits (thanks Bobby Flay!)

Corn and green chile grits

Fried grits (from cold leftover grits…thank you Mom!)

I am not a meat eater but you can also make your grits with some  ham, green pepper, tomato, mushrooms and cheese, like a country omelet without the egg.

Hmmm and now that I am thinking about it, what about meat ball, marinara sauce and grits for dinner?

So you see, grits are not just for Southerners anymore. They are for those of us with a great imagination and the love of variety in our foods.  I hope you will experiment with your own ideas and make the most of your morning grits. I would love to hear about your favorites.

Avocado and another great breakfast idea

I have been trying to include more avocados in my diet.  Avocados are actually a fruit. They have a lot of fat. In fact, 75% of their calories are from fat most of which is monounsaturated fat. The fat in avocado is made up of several nutrients, phytosterols, carotenoids, non-carotenoid anti-oxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. Studies have shown these nutrients help keep inflammation under control.  The carotenoids are most concentrated in the dark part of the fruit, closest to the skin. The best way to preserve them is to slice then peel the avocado by hand.

Oleic acid, found in avocados have shown in studies to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Avocados are also high in potassium (great for workout recovery) and Vitamin E. All and  all avocado is a fantastic fruit and you can use any leftovers for your skin. http://www.natural-skin-care-info.com/avocado.html

In Texas we found mostly Haas California Avocados at the stores. Haas avocados are the only variety of avocado that is produced year round. The Haas Avocado was patented in 1935. It was the first tree to be patented. The avocados in California prior to Haas were Fuerte. Haas originated from grafting . Today all Haas avocado trees are descendants from the original tree planted in 1926. Haas avocados are small and get very soft and creamy when ripe.

The Florida avocados are bigger with a smooth skin and a more fruity flavor. They are also less creamy than Haas because they are quite a bit lower in fat and calories.  In contrast to the California avocados, Florida avocados only produce from June through February. They are more perishable than the Haas when ripe.

I like to use the Haas for guacamole due to their creamy softness. The Florida avocadoes are great for filling due to their size and sturdier texture. I also like them for slicing.

This week I tried a recipe I found on another blog. It was for Poached Egg on Toast with Chipotle Mayonnaise, Bacon and Avocado. Of course I don’t do bacon so I left that part out. The blog is Closet Cooking written by a guy from Canada.

I tried the recipes, sans bacon and I really enjoyed it. I used California avocado since the Florida avocados have been hard to come by.  I liked it so much that I made it again this weekend for my sister and me. We both enjoyed it.

The only unusual ingredient is the chipotle peppers in adobo. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos. The peppers in adobo are in a tomato sauce. In Texas you can find them in the Mexican section at the grocery store. Here in Florida, I think I found them at Whole Foods Market.

This is an easy breakfast to make but if you are stressed about poaching eggs, a fried egg would substitute just fine.  Mark used to like a store bought salad dressing I found by Marie’s.  I saw it at the store the other day so they still make it. It is Chipotle Ranch. If you are not real motivated to make the sauce or can’t find the chipotle’s in adobo, this dressing is very similar. I might add the lime to it though. The lime is what gives it that extra kick.

I made the sauce using light mayonnaise. That will cut the fat a bit and you can make it up by enjoying the fat in the avocado!

Here is the link to the recipe:http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/07/poached-egg-on-toast-with-chipotle.html

There are other great recipes on the Closet Cooking blog and the pictures are fantastic!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did.

Have a great week….and…don’t forget to exercise!

Caribbean Crab Cakes with a Key West (Lime) Touch

I have been in the mood for Crab Cakes for quite some time.  Finding decent fresh crab meat is not that easy though, so it has been almost two years since I have made them at home.

After the Komen Race, I walked around the West Palm Beach Green Market with friends. You can find vendors with anything from fresh bakery goods, seafood, local produce, orchids and other plants.

My friends stopped at a Seafood Vendor’s booth and inquired about the crab meat. It appeared very fresh. It better have been. The Jumbo Lump crab was 23 dollars a pound! 

I have found a lot of the crab being sold comes from Vietnam. No offense to the country but I don’t trust crab meat from Vietnam. I have read too many bad things about the handling of seafood from this country, including this article from November 2010 http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40198123/ns/today-today_health/

The crab meat we considered buying was not from the US either. It was from Brazil. Now I don’t know if that makes it better or worse, but I haven’t read any bad press about it.

My friends did buy some of the Jumbo Lump. I just couldn’t resist, but instead of the Jumbo, I bought the “poor man’s” regular lump crab. It is fine for crab cakes and only 16 dollars per pound (maybe it is really poor man’s because of how your pocket feels after buying it! Empty.) I can rationalize a bit of extravagance once every two years!

Upon returning home with my “find” I had to decide how I wanted to enjoy it. Something healthy might be good. Then again, when was the last time I had an extravagant meal? Hmm. Caribbean Crab cake Benedict for breakfast on Sunday sounded like a good reward for my not so famous Komen run/ walk.

My mother has a very easy recipe for Hollandaise Sauce using a blender. She was kind enough to share it with me. Hollandaise isn’t something I use frequently. I can almost feel my arteries complaining just thinking about it. It’s has enough butter to make Paula Deen smile!

 

I had saved a recipe for Caribbean Crab Cakes Benedict from an issue of Coastal Living.  I used it as the basis for my happy fat breakfast (oh, ok I will stop…if it makes you happy it must be healthy, right?).

I must admit that as always I didn’t follow either recipe exactly. I only used as much as was necessary of the mayo, the oil (I used canola) and the breading.

I wanted more of an Island style Hollandaise so instead of just lemon juice, I used ½ lemon juice and ½ lime juice. I also took a chunk of ginger and pressed it into a garlic press just to extract some juice. I added a little of the ginger juice to the hollandaise and a little more to the crab cakes. I also put a little lime juice into the crab cake mixture in place of the powdered ginger.  The added ginger and the lime juice were really the special touches that made this recipe outrageously good.

Finally, I skipped the avocado although that sounds pretty good. I put the crab cake on top of a whole wheat English muffin half and then topped it with the poached egg and some sauce (not a lot, you don’t want to drown it.)

I hope you will take the time one Sunday (or Saturday) and make these for your special someone and you. Put on some nice morning music, pour Mimosas or brew up some rich espresso coffee, share the Sunday paper and have a relaxing day.

Then get your rear up and get some exercise! Enjoy!

Caribbean Crab Cakes Benedict

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3  saltine crackers
• 3  (1-ounce) slices French bread, torn
• 1  pound  fresh lump crabmeat, drained
• 1  cup  mayonnaise
• 1  egg white
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground ginger
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  seafood seasoning
• 1/4  cup  peanut oil
• 2  tablespoons  unsalted butter
• 2  avocados, peeled and sliced
• 6  large eggs, poached
• Key Lime Hollandaise (recipe follows)
• Cracked black pepper
• Garnish: diced red bell pepper

Preparation

Place crackers in a blender or food processor; process until finely ground. Place bread in blender or food processor; process until finely ground.

Combine crabmeat, mayonnaise, cracker crumbs, breadcrumbs, egg white, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Shape crab mixture into 6 (4-inch) patties. Cook crab cakes, in batches, in hot oil and melted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until golden.

Place avocado slices and poached eggs on crab cakes, and top with Caribbean Hollandaise Sauce and pepper. Garnish, if desired.

Julia Dowling Rutland, Coastal Living, NOVEMBER 2003

Sheila’s mother’s easy Blender Hollandaise with Sheila’s Key Lime touch

½ lb butter, melted

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice (or 1 tablespoon of lime and one of lemon juice)

½ tsp salt

Dash of cayenne or more to taste

A few drops of fresh squeezed ginger juice for Sheila’s variation

Put all the ingredients but the butter in the blender. Turn the blender on then slowly pour in the warm melted butter until incorporated.

If you need to keep it warm, you can put it in a thermos or keep it warmed in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring to keep it from breaking.

Breakfast for One

I get bored with breakfast. I am not a big fan of cereal. I don’t think it is the best choice to start your day. I wish I could eat oats, but they don’t agree with me.  My favorite easy breakfast is to scramble an egg in the microwave and put it on a multigrain English muffin then melt some lowfat cheddar on top (a la McBreakfast).

The other day I had some asparagus in the fridge that I needed to use. Somewhere I had seen a picture of cooked asparagus with a fried egg on top and I had vowed to try it one day. I was unsure if it sounded like a good idea or not, but I thought I would give it a try.

I used to cook asparagus in a pan with water. Then the asparagus cookers came out and everyone was cooking them upright in a pot of water. I never had one of those.  I have since changed my asparagus cooking technique to roasting it in the toaster oven.

What I do is, once the asparagus is cleaned and the tough ends removed, I preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees.  I then place the asparagus on the toaster oven pan and pour some olive oil over them (not a lot) along with some lemon pepper.  I mix it all up, leaving the asparagus in a single layer and bake them in the toaster oven for 12 minutes.

To make my breakfast, while the asparagus was roasting I fried up an egg (using olive oil rather than butter).  When the asparagus was done, I lay some (3) on a plate, lightly toasted a slice of sourdough (or multigrain) bread, then topped the asparagus with the egg and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

When you break the egg over the asparagus, it mixes with the lemon juice and lemon pepper and provides a creamy lemony, hollandaise like topping for the fresh asparagus spears, without the fat of a traditional hollandaise. I use the sourdough to soak up the yolk. 

Oh and I made myself a nice cup of Cuban coffee too.

That’s all there was to it. It made a delicious breakfast and a healthy one too.  I hope you get a chance to try this breakfast. I think you will enjoy it.